The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has said that getting wages for work done is a person’s right, and its denial amounts to denial of justice and violation of human rights.

Commission chairperson Antony Dominic directed the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment (KSCSTE) to pay at the earliest increased salary and arrears to an elderly man who worked as a media consultant.

The directive comes on a complaint by A. Prabhakaran of Pandit’s Colony, Kowdiar, who is ill.

He had joined the council in 2012 for a salary of ₹20,000 a month. In 2014, this was increased to ₹35,000 at a council meeting. However, the increase in honorarium was not paid.

Council member secretary informed the commission that the no order was issued by the council for increasing the salary as the Account General and the Finance Inspection Wing had raised objection to the appointment. In a surprise Vigilance inspection in 2015, the complainant’s appointment file was confiscated along with other files. Consequently, the council was not able to pay the benefits even to its permanent employees.

However, Mr. Prabhakaran argued that if there was a problem with his appointment, he should have been let go. The council had increased the salary of many others, he alleged, adding that he was due ₹3 lakh in arrears.

Council vindictive?

The commission, in its order, said Mr. Prabhakaran’s honorarium was increased on October 17, 2014, and the Vigilance inspection occurred on May 2015. In the name of the Vigilance inspection, it suspected that the council was being vindictive. There were no Vigilance cases against the complainant. If there were any disputes, he would not have been paid the honorarium.